A Parametric Study to Optimize the Thermal Performance of Mongolian Self-built Houses in Terms of Energy Efficiency: Towards a Cleaner Environment for Ulaanbaatar

This research focuses on the thermal performance of Mongolian self-built houses within the capital city; Ulaanbaatar. The main aim was to optimize the thermal performance in terms of energy efficiency. Fieldwork in Mongolia and computer-based analyses were undertaken. The intention of the fieldwork was to a) visit a range of self-built houses and create a design interpretation of the typical Mongolian self-built house, and b) monitor the internal and external temperatures of one house for validating the computer model. The computer based study used Autodesk Ecotect software to model both the monitored and the typical design. Monitored data was statistically compared to simulated temperatures and mean internal temperatures inside the typical house were simulated. A parametric study was carried out to optimise the walls, floor and ceiling insulation to reduce the annual heating loads. The optimum insulation level for the external walls was found to be 300mm of expanded polystyrene on the outside of the walls. Infiltration rate was found to significantly affect the heating loads. The effect of several construction combinations were simulated and the best case scenario was found to reduce the total annual heating loads from 37,990 kW to 12,692 kW.